diff --git a/changelog.md b/changelog.md
index 5d02439..36f223a 100644
--- a/changelog.md
+++ b/changelog.md
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 ## Breaking changes
 
 * Removed `table` property from nodes and relationships returned from `from_snowflake`, the table is represented by the `caption` field.
+* Changed default value of `override` parameter in `VisualizationGraph.color_nodes()` from `False` to `True`. The method now overrides existing node colors by default. To preserve existing colors, explicitly pass `override=False`.
 
 ## New features
 
diff --git a/python-wrapper/src/neo4j_viz/visualization_graph.py b/python-wrapper/src/neo4j_viz/visualization_graph.py
index ecc40ab..49efcdf 100644
--- a/python-wrapper/src/neo4j_viz/visualization_graph.py
+++ b/python-wrapper/src/neo4j_viz/visualization_graph.py
@@ -294,7 +294,7 @@ def color_nodes(
         property: Optional[str] = None,
         colors: Optional[ColorsType] = None,
         color_space: ColorSpace = ColorSpace.DISCRETE,
-        override: bool = False,
+        override: bool = True,
     ) -> None:
         """
         Color the nodes in the graph based on either a node field, or a node property.
diff --git a/python-wrapper/tests/test_colors.py b/python-wrapper/tests/test_colors.py
index adc1395..dff4d2c 100644
--- a/python-wrapper/tests/test_colors.py
+++ b/python-wrapper/tests/test_colors.py
@@ -254,3 +254,39 @@ def test_color_nodes_unhashable() -> None:
     VG = VisualizationGraph(nodes=nodes, relationships=[])
     with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="Unable to color nodes by unhashable property type '<class 'list'>'"):
         VG.color_nodes(property="list_of_lists", colors=["#000000"])
+
+
+def test_color_nodes_default_override() -> None:
+    """Test that the default value of override is True (colors are overridden by default)."""
+    nodes = [
+        Node(id="4:d09f48a4-5fca-421d-921d-a30a896c604d:0", caption="Person", color="#FF0000"),
+        Node(id="4:d09f48a4-5fca-421d-921d-a30a896c604d:6", caption="Product", color="#FF0000"),
+        Node(id="4:d09f48a4-5fca-421d-921d-a30a896c604d:11", caption="Product", color="#FF0000"),
+    ]
+
+    VG = VisualizationGraph(nodes=nodes, relationships=[])
+
+    # Call without specifying override - should use default (True) and override existing colors
+    VG.color_nodes(field="caption", colors={"Person": "#000000", "Product": "#00FF00"})
+
+    assert VG.nodes[0].color == Color("#000000")
+    assert VG.nodes[1].color == Color("#00ff00")
+    assert VG.nodes[2].color == Color("#00ff00")  # Should be overridden to #00ff00
+
+
+def test_color_nodes_override_false() -> None:
+    """Test that override=False preserves existing colors."""
+    nodes = [
+        Node(id="4:d09f48a4-5fca-421d-921d-a30a896c604d:0", caption="Person", color="#FF0000"),
+        Node(id="4:d09f48a4-5fca-421d-921d-a30a896c604d:6", caption="Product", color="#FF0000"),
+        Node(id="4:d09f48a4-5fca-421d-921d-a30a896c604d:11", caption="Product"),
+    ]
+
+    VG = VisualizationGraph(nodes=nodes, relationships=[])
+
+    # Call with override=False - should preserve existing colors
+    VG.color_nodes(field="caption", colors={"Person": "#000000", "Product": "#00FF00"}, override=False)
+
+    assert VG.nodes[0].color == Color("#ff0000")  # Should keep existing color
+    assert VG.nodes[1].color == Color("#ff0000")  # Should keep existing color
+    assert VG.nodes[2].color == Color("#00ff00")  # Should get new color (no existing color)